Brake



F. W. KRUSE & O. HOLSTEIN.

(No Model.)

BRAKE.

No. 571,004 PatentedN'ov. 10, 1896.-

IIIIIIIIILHIIII "IIIIIIIMIIII MHHII I I I WITNESSES:

INVENTORS:

ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NEBRASKA.

BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 571,004, dated November 10, 1896.

Application filed March 23, 1896. Serial No. 584,428. (No model.)

. Nebraska, have invented certain useful Improvements in Brakes; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and

exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention has relation to a novel improvement in brakes more particularly adapted tobe used in conjunction with vehicles drawn by draft-animals, and comprises, essentially, a vehicle-brake adapted to be attached to the axle part of the forward running-gear of the vehicle, as will be described more fully hereinafter, and finally pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 shows a broken detached top view of a front runninggear provided with our improved brake, while Fig. 2 shows a broken sectional side elevation with parts removed showing our brake in position and as used in checking the speed of the wheels.

Our invention comprises, essentially, a brake adapted to be used in connection with the forward running-gear of a vehicle, and is arranged to be automatically applied by the draft-animals whenever said animals are held back to check their speed as well as that of the vehicle to which they are attached.

Our invention is more particularly adapted to be used in connection with fire apparatuses, wheeledfield-ordnances,hospital ambulances, and such, and being further adapted to be used in conjunction with vehicles adapted to carry heavy loads and in which the rear wheels can be provided with a brake adapted to be operated as usual, in conjunction with our automatic horse-brake adapted to be controlled and operated by the draft-animals.

Our present inventioncomprises,essentially, two supporting-brackets A A, which are secured to the vehicle-axle B and, if desired, to the bolster O, connectedv thereto, this bracket preferably being V-shaped, as is shown in Fig. 2, and giving support at the free end, which is adapted to be extended backward or in the direction opposite to which the vehicle is drawn to a knuckle-bar -D, which bars are used in pairs and are preferably bifurcated at the ends marked 2, so as to insure a snug fit with the supporting-brackets A. These bars D D in turn give support to an extension-rod E, which bar freely revolves within the terminal eyes 3 of the knuckle-bar D. This extension-bar has its ends turned downward, so as to form the stub-arm 5, as is shown in Fig. 2. To these stub-arms are next secured the brake-shoes H, which are of a peculiar construction, being provided with a grinding-face 6, adapted to work against 'the outward periphery of the wheel, and further having an upper rounded edge 7, forming a con tinuation of the grinding-face 6.

Secured to the forward end of the tongue F of the vehicle is a duplex pivoted neck-yoke comprising two similar bars K K, which may work within an opening or a slot Within the forward end of the tongue or be pivotally secured to the top or the bottom of the tongue by means of a pin 8. Each of these bars is of a length little exceeding half the length of a yoke, and has one of its ends 9 curved back-' ward and terminating in an eye, to each of which is secured an ordinary bar, which bars 12 12 are united and adapted to receive the strand 13, and may be a wire, a cable, or a rod, this strand being connected at its remainin g end centrally to the bar E, as is shown in Fig. 1. Each of the duplex yoke-bars K K are further provided upon their curved ends 9 with a stop in the form of an ordinary projecting pin 10, which pins limit the movement of said pivoted bars in their rearward direction. In Fig. 1 we have shown by dotted lines the position of these duplex bars K K as checked in their backward movement by the stops 1O 10. p

This combination would comprise our invention proper, which, when all the parts are properly assembled and constructed, would appear as follows:

The brackets -A A having been properly positioned are provided with the knuckle-bars D, supporting extension-bar E, to which the brake-shoes H have been properly secured.

Normally the weight of the bar E and the bars D would carry the brake-shoes downward in the path of the arrow marked y, in which position the brake-shoe is not in contact with the wheel M, and in which position the yoke-bars K K are in their proper position, as indicated in Fig. 1. As long as the draft-animals exert their force upon the singletrees of the vehicle to draw the same forward these bars K simply aid to support the tongue F. However, as soon as thespeed of the vehicle becomes greater than that of the animals attached thereto these bars K will be drawn backward by the animal in the endeavor to check the speed of the vehicle, and this backward movement shortens the length of the distance between the bar E and the pivot-pin 8 in the forward portion of the tongue, so that the speed of said wheels is checked and the greater the restraining power of the lever the greater will be the power exerted on the brakes used, so that it will be noticed these brakes act automatically. Now, however, it might at times be desirable to push a vehicle provided with our improvement backward, which would of course necessitate the levers K K being drawn backward to check the speed of the wheels M. These wheels in this instance, however, revolve in a direction opposite or, referring to Fig. 2, in a direction indicated by the arrow o. As soon as the wheel engages the brake-shoes from that direction the brake-shoes are automatically and instantly carried in the line of the arrow .2, the shoes revolving by virtue of the pivoted bar E and the wheels M being loosely engaged by the upper curved end 7 of the brake-shoes, in which instance they act in no way to retard the movement or speed of the 1 wheels. As the distance from the bar E and 40 the periphery of the wheel is less at the upper end than from said bar E to the lower end of the shoe, these shoes will always be carried tightly against the wheels when said wheels revolve in one'direction, and invariably be reversed and carried away when said wheels are carried in opposite directions. The pins 10 check the movement of said bars K K while the vehicle is being backed.

Now, having thus described our said invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, is-

A brake adapted to be used in conjunction withthe forward wheels of a vehicle and comprising the following instrumentalities, to wit: a two-part pivoted neck-yoke each of said two-part neck-yoke bars being provided with laterally-extending stub-arms, brackets secured to the forward axle, kn uckle-bars pivotally secured to said brackets an extensionbar revolubly held within said knuckle-bars and brake-shoes secured to said extensionbar and a strand connecting said extensionbar to said two-part neck-yoke, said brakeshoes being so arranged that they tightly grind against the outer periphery of said wheels while revolving in one direction and loosely ride against said wheels while revolving in an opposite direction, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth. y

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK WV. KRUSE. CHRISTIAN HOLSTEIN.

W'itnesses DEXTER L. THOMAS, N. W. WEIs. 

